Many years passed on into centuries, and Celebrimbor and Erestor worked side-by-side and Eregion flourished, becoming one of the greatest Elf-lands known. It was said that, were it still permissible, Elves still in Valinor would be seeking trade with the Mírdain of Eregion, so great had their craft grown.

In this time, Celebrimbor's own skills increased greatly. He practiced with the Dwarfs of Khazad-dûm and partnered with their craftsmen in the creation of the great doors at the end of the trade road, which were said to be open always to the Elven allies.

Once while Celebrimbor was hosting his friend Narvi, going over the designs for the doors, he asked about the moon-letters that the Dwarves sometimes included on their documents. Celebrimbor wanted to know it was possible to use the craft as they planned to do with ithildin – to write on silver, rather than on paper, letters which would only be revealed in precise circumstances. So Celebrimbor began devising a silver pen which would inscribe metal with moon-letters, just one of the side-projects he undertook for his own enjoyment.

There were other projects, too, ones which Celebrimbor discussed with absolutely no one, not even Erestor. For though he still could claim no proof that Annatar was any other than the Valarian emissary he claimed to be, Celebrimbor's heart would not rest easy when the strange, fair Elf was about. So, in secret even from those he held most dear, Celebrimbor began to craft powerful rings which he imbued with the ability to preserve and heal and even strengthen the defenses of the lands about them.

But still those were days of peace and abundance and happiness in Middle-Earth and many endeavours were not so grave. There was another ring that Celebrimbor was crafting secretly, but for a much gladder purpose. It would be wrought of mithril, of course, and would take the form of two holly leaves set with three rubies as the berries. And moon-letters he would inscribe inside the band, meant only for the eyes of the one to whom he gave the ring.

By that point it would be little more than a matter of formality and ceremony, but over the years Celebrimbor had come to learn that Erestor held formality and ceremony rather dear, and there was nothing in his power to give that Celebrimbor would deny his lover. But neither felt any cause to hurry the rituals of their union, for they were as content as each other as long as they could spend their days cultivating their realm and their nights in one another's arms – under stars and moon if weather was fair, or beside the fire, it mattered little to them.

Once Celebrimbor had completed to his satisfaction the three secret Rings of Power which he hoped to never put to use, he began crafting the other secret ring. That one he could fashion much more quickly, for it would not carry powers that would extend so widely.

Ost-in-Edhil, SA 1599

The winter celebration was exceptional that year. Ost-in-Edhil boasted its greatest number of revelers, including many distinguished guests from lands far and wide – from Khazad-dûm and from the Golden Wood, from Greenwood the Great and from Lindon. There were all the old traditional celebrations, including a long day of dancing and drinking and making merry, culminating in the ritual 'battle' between the Holly King and the Oak King.

Celebrimbor had relished the roll of the Holly King since first he came to Eregion. Early on he had fashioned himself a patently cheeky crown of beryl and ruby holly 'leaves' and another of copper and gold that his Oak King opponent would assume on the holiday. Each year the honour of Oak King was conferred upon a different guest and that year it fell, surprising to none, to King Oropher's son, Prince Thranduil.

The celebrators would gather in the grand hall of the city and dance the day away until it was time to make way for the battle. Then those in the know would vie for the best view, knowing that their Lord always put on the most comical performance of the year when at last the Holly King was vanquished. Many were the years Erestor laughed until he cried at Celebrimbor's wildly overdramatic death scenes, though the best were always the years when the Oak King was played by one of their chief friends such as Narvi or Ereinion, for they never hesitated to give the Holly King a most gleeful and brutal (mock) ending.

After the battle pantomime, the now-deposed Holly King would spring up, doff his crown, and cry out an invitation for all to join the feast. As usual, the feast would be followed by songs and poems in the hall, much more sedate once the guests had been duly overfed.

That night, after enjoying a few of their favourite songs, Celebrimbor reached to take Erestor's hand and nodded slightly toward the door. Erestor nodded back and together they slipped out of the hall and on to Celebrimbor's chambers.

"Leaving the party a bit early, aren't we?" Erestor teased as he wrapped his arms around Celebrimbor's waist, once the door was shut behind them.

"Are we? Perhaps we should return," Celebrimbor said, his hands on Erestor's shoulders suggesting no such plan. "For propriety's sake, of course."

"I'll have the peace of your teasing this night!" Erestor laughed. "Without my sense of propriety this land would be a tavern with very pretty doors."

"You knew I was but a simple Elf when first we met," Celebrimbor murmured, his lips just touching Erestor's.

"And you knew I was a fussy Elf," Erestor rejoined, pressing his lips against Celebrimbor's.

"My beautiful, fussy Elf. There could be no happiness to eclipse mine, Erestor, mela-nin," Celebrimbor said, his lips trailing along Erestor's jawline.

"You have no need to seduce me, Celeb," Erestor said, moving to unclasp the top of his fine, wine-red formal robes.

"But how I like to!" Celebrimbor grinned, catching Erestor's hands to stop him. "Come, I have something for you," he said, pulling his lover toward his inner chamber.

Erestor rolled his eyes. "Yes, that was rather the idea of me attempting to remove my robes," he grumbled mildly.

"Not that," Celebrimbor laughed. "Well, yes, that as well, but first something else – something even more enduring." Celebrimbor went to the dressing table and removed from a drawer a small box of lebethron inlaid with silver and brought it over to Erestor. "It's nearly finished."

"Nearly?" Erestor laughed. "Had you but managed the time a bit -" His words were cut off by Celebrimbor's swift kiss.

"I'll show you," Celebrimbor smirked. "I managed the time precisely. Come," he said, taking Erestor's hand and leading him out onto the balcony.

"It's cold out, Celeb!" Erestor complained, pulling wide his robe sleeves closer about him.

"Then stand close to me and stoke the forge-fire you lit long ago in my heart," Celebrimbor said.

Erestor smiled, pulling Celebrimbor close and enjoying the feel of his lover's strong arms under his hands. "A silver tongue to match your silver hand, I see."

"Warmer now, Eres?" Celebrimbor asked, nuzzling Erestor's ear-point.

"Quite. But I still don't see why we are out here when the bedchamber is warm and soft…."

"Well, had you but let me say what I meant to say before," Celebrimbor said, stepping back and taking a small silver pen from a pocket inside his robes. He opened the tiny decorated box and set it on the balcony rail, bending low over it with the pen for a few moments. Then he closed the box and put away the pen. "Now my gift to you is finished. But, before I give it to you, I must tell you that if you accept this, you also accept all that comes with it."

"And what comes with it?" Erestor asked.

"My heart," Celebrimbor said simply. "All your days at my side, building a life and a land together. My very fëa, Erestor."

"I accepted all that long ago," Erestor said as his eyes began to glisten in the light of the full moon.

"Aye, but soon it shall be official, for all to know and celebrate with us, not just in our own hearts," Celebrimbor said, offering the box to Erestor who took it and opened it.

"Celeb…," Erestor breathed, "it is so beautiful. This must surely be your finest smithwork yet," he said, taking the ring and admiring its quality.

"It would have to be to sit on the hand of the one whom I will soon call 'herven-nin'," Celebrimbor smiled. "But there is something else as well. Hold it up to the light and you will see."

Erestor did so, holding the fine ring up to the light of ithil. After a moment, a glimmer shown inside the mithril band. "It is like moon-letters, written on silver!" Erestor said in wonder, "How did you ever devise…. Oh…." As the word shown clearer and stronger, Erestor's breath caught.

Uiveleth. Love eternal.

"I shall always love you, Erestor," Celebrimbor said seriously, placing the ring on Erestor's finger.

"And I you, till the unmaking of Arda," Erestor whispered, holding Celebrimbor tightly.

Ost-in-Edhil, SA 1600

It was morning in late spring, anor's rays not yet more than a faint, far-off spark in the eastern skies. Erestor and Celebrimbor rested peacefully in one another's arms while a mild breeze carried the fragrance of apple blossoms and honeysuckle up to their chamber from the garden below.

Suddenly, Celebrimbor woke as if from a startling dream. He glanced about the chamber but could see no reason for the intrusion of his rest. Erestor still slept soundly beside him, and he recalled nothing unpleasant in the dreams he'd walked, only beauty and peace. Shaking his head, Celebrimbor made to settle back into sleep for another few hours before rising at Erestor's poking him to come to breakfast before the cakes grew cold. It was a long-since established routine.

Then there was a blast of wind, rushing out of the east, down from the Hithaeglir. It had passed almost before it began, but with it came a blinding flash that filled Celebrimbor's mind and the ring he wore began to burn on his hand so that he pulled it off and flung it across the room. And he knew that all the years of peace and prosperity that Eregion had enjoyed had just turned against them all.

"Celeb?" Erestor murmured, his eyes clearing gradually. "What is it?" Erestor sat up beside his lover, but Celebrimbor just stared silently as if caught in a dragon's gaze. "Celeb? You're frightening me, say something."

"The doom of us all is upon us," Celebrimbor said at last, his voice low and flat. Then he jumped out of bed and rushed to dress. "I must gather the Mírdain, at once, we must take council. Come, Erestor, dress, quickly. I need you with me!"

Erestor blinked a couple times before running to his wardrobe and dressing with as much haste as his lover, though he still knew not why. He had never seen Celebrimbor in such a state and it was troubling.

Celebrimbor was just about to hurry out of the bedchamber, when Erestor caught his arm and saw the shock in his fair eyes. "What has happened, Celeb?" Erestor asked, sounding much calmer than he felt. "I can't counsel anything if I do not know -"

"How many years did I say I trusted him not?" Celebrimbor said hollowly.

Erestor felt a sense of dread seeping into him. "You speak of Annatar," he said needlessly.

"And now I know," Celebrimbor nodded. He pointed to the ring laying in the corner. "Now I know who he is. He has found some way of accessing our craftwork…. He would know our minds. These must be destroyed. I must gather the Mírdain."

Celebrimbor started to move away but Erestor stopped him again. "Who? Who is he?" Erestor asked desperately.

"He is Sauron," Celebrimbor replied fearfully.

Erestor's eyes went wide. "Valar no…."

"Yes. How we could have been so thoroughly deceived…. I woke suddenly and there was a fell wind come down from the east… and then I knew him, I knew his mind, and my ring burned…. He would snare us through these rings that he helped us create. We must destroy them, quickly, and raise our defenses."

"Celeb – my ring…," Erestor said, starting to remove the ring of mithril ereg with which Celebrimbor had promised they would wed, not even five months earlier.

"No, Eres," Celebrimbor said quickly, clasping Erestor's hands to stop him. "That ring is safe, I swear to you. I alone created that for you, with neither the aid nor knowledge of any other. No harm will come to you because of that ring, not ever." He pulled Erestor close to him, vowing to himself to keep Erestor safe at all costs.

Then Celebrimbor pulled away. "There are other rings, Erestor…. Not like yours, but which I also made unaided. There are three and I fashioned them with the intent that they should be used to defend entire realms, chiefly our own. But I fear now that we must not attempt to use them, for the magic of these rings would draw Sauron's notice – he would recognize it. I meant them as a guard against Annatar, thinking him no more than some brigand like those of my forebears…. I could never have imaged I should have been inventing protection against one of the Maia! Your ring… your ring has similar magic, but not the same. It is of my own devising. It is a magic of the heart, one which he can never know or access.

"Please, come, help me gather the rings of the Mírdain and decide what must be done next. I fear the road now ahead of us will be long and perilous."

"Only half as long and half as perilous, then, for we shall walk it together," Erestor said resolutely. He then took a leather purse from his wardrobe and went to put Celebrimbor's ring in it. He sighed. "And to think people dislike me when I come to collect excises with this bag."